CONTAINER GARDENING

CONTAINER GARDENING
In areas where there is little or no space, a wellorganized
container garden can produce substantial
vegetables. A point to remember about container
gardening: The small volume of soil in a raised bed will
warm up faster in spring than the soil in your open
garden. This gives you a longer growing season,
because you can start your cool-season crops
earlier. You can also bring plants inside if the
temperature takes an unexpected plunge — this
mobility is an advantage you obviously lack in an open
garden.
Plan a container garden the same way as a small
garden plot, making the best possible use of your
vertical space. Use a trellis for vining crops and
stakes and cages for tomatoes or other semi-vining
crops. If you're planting on a balcony, don't let any
possible support go to waste. Position climbing plants
where the railing provides a readymade trellis.
There are also space-saving techniques unique to
container gardens. You can use the vertical space of
a container itself by planting in holes or pockets in
the sides of the container. Growing some vining plants
in hanging baskets will save space too, but be sure
to place hanging baskets where they won't shade
other plants. When you are growing a container
garden, always select varieties that are suitable for
container growing, and remember that containers
dry out faster than a traditional garden, so you'll need
to water more often. Plants growing in containers
are also more affected by changes in temperature; you
do have the advantage, though, of being able to
move them to a more protected area or even inside on
cool nights.
Essentially, planning a container garden is little
different from planning an outdoor plot. The main
difference may be in the varieties you choose — if
you're planting in a confined space you're going to
take a special interest in smaller varieties and plants
with compact, contained growth habits. But basically,
any plant that will grow in your garden will also
grow on your balcony or patio.
Extending your garden indoors
If you don't have a garden or even a balcony, you
can still have a container vegetable garden. Don't
underestimate the number of vegetables that can
be grown successfully indoors. Near a bright window
that is not too warm, leafy vegetables, such as
lettuce, parsley, and chives, will do nicely. Fruiting
plants are worth a try, but they take a lot more light
at a higher intensity; unless the window is very bright,
the plants may grow but not produce. Cherry
tomatoes in hanging baskets will sometimes grow in
very bright windows, and sometimes plants can be
brought in from outdoors and grown on for several
months. Herbs are rewarding indoor-garden
plants, and they go a long way in adding your personal
touch to everyday eating.
Providing indoor lighting
If you have lights or if you have a place for putting
lights, you can grow vegetables indoors without any
sun at all. Lettuce does beautifully in the basement
or the attic when grown under fluorescent
light—usually these spots are not as warm as the
rest of the house. Lettuce can also be grown in an
apartment if you can find a spot where the heating is
not very efficient or if you don't mind wearing a
sweater.
Cucumbers will grow beautifully under artificial
light. But just as long days will prevent flowering, so
will long periods under artificial light. The best
thing to do is experiment and find what does well for
you. A timer can be useful in giving certain plants a
dark resting period. Given lots of water, watercress
works almost as well as lettuce under the lights.
Instead of seeds, you can start with cuttings (the
bottoms of some of those stems of fresh watercress
you bought to indulge yourself).
Various possibilities for using vegetables as
houseplants are discussed in the description of
individual vegetables in Part 2.
Gardening in a greenhouse:
A refuge for plants and gardener
With a greenhouse you can garden all year around
and experiment with ail kinds of plants that you have
little chance of growing out in the open garden. A
greenhouse is also a nice, cozy, private place for the
gardener whose gardening time Is often interrupted
by demands from other family members. If you're
going to buy and install a greenhouse, it's worth
getting a good one. Greenhouses vary vastly in size,
price, and construction and many companies
supply them; not all of them, however, are welldesigned
and well-put-together, so you need to do
some homework. The following are reputable sources
that can provide you with basic information to help
you make a choice. Some of them will design a
greenhouse to fit your available space and
specifications.